Studying the molecular aspects of the assembly of the Cf-4/SOBIR1/BAK1 complex at the plasma membrane and its downstream signaling

We aim to understand how the activity of the Cf/SOBIR1/BAK1 complex is regulated. To achieve this, the focus will be on the interaction between the Cf-4 protein of tomato and the Avr4 effector of C. fulvum, with the following objectives: (I) studying the roles of specific domains of BAK1, SOBIR1 and Cf-4 in the assembly of the BAK1/Cf-4/SOBIR1 complex and their participation in the initiation of downstream signaling; (II) studying possible negative regulation of the activated BAK1/Cf-4/SOBIR1 complex by BAK1-INTERACTING RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASES (BIRs); (III) studying how specific recruitment of BAK1 by the Cf-4/SOBIR1 complex takes place upon Avr4 perception; (IV) determining whether a direct or indirect interaction between the LRR domain of Cf-4 and Avr4 takes place and (V) studying how immune signaling is actually initiated.